Page 47 of Kissing Her Rescuer

“No. I'm in law enforcement, so she rides in my patrol car when I need to take her somewhere.”

“The back of a cop car?”

Damn, Rod. Make it sound as miserable as Eva had. Dewey crossed his arms. “I guess we need to look for two vehicles today.”

Eliza turned, shaking her head. “No, you use whichever one we get when you need it.”

“Carrie can't ride in my truck, and I can't take her anywhere long distance in the patrol car. I need a new truck.”

A young man jogged toward them, the key to the SUV in his hand.

Rod took the keys. “Are you both going to test drive the SUV?”

Dewey stepped back. “She has 100% decision making power on this. When you get back, I'll be over there, looking at the trucks.”

“Dewey?”

He leaned down, lowering his voice. “Pick what you want. Or else our next stop after here is the Mercedes dealership and I decide. Believe me, I'll make it so expensive, even Addie will be jealous. Your choice.”

Turning away, he strode toward the other end of the lot. He'd never actually purchased a car before. His truck was his dad's old truck. No use in having anything else.

Everyone in town used to tease him and Cameron with both old-as-hell trucks. They took bets to see which one would break down first. Both were still going strong. Although Dewey’s truck sounded more like it smoked a few packs of Lucky’s every morning before it got warmed up.

Fifteen minutes later, the SUV turned into the lot and drove toward him. He'd narrowed down his decision between two choices of trucks. Neither one as tricked out as Nash's, but they were nice, mid-level trucks. Anything with two working seat belts and a few airbags was a step-up.

Eliza grinned as she pulled into a parking spot beside him with the music from the speakers turned up high enough to recognize her favorite country song.

“I love this!” She hopped down and walked over to him. “It has a DVD player in the back for Carrie.”

“I hope you like it for other reasons.”

She tugged his hand to the car. Rod stepped to the side. “Did you want to drive one?”

“I'd like to drive both those models,” he replied over his shoulder as he let Eliza lead him to the SUV.

“Sure thing.”

Eliza climbed into the passenger seat, energy bouncing off her. “Go around. Get in the driver's seat. It'd be like that anyway if we were on a trip or something.”

A future. He didn't acknowledge the slip-up. If she remembered her declaration that she'd never marry again, she might try harder to avoid the mention of long-term plans. The longer she was back in his life, the more his determination to never consider marriage again seemed irrelevant. Nothing between them would change. They could be happy with or without the commitment.

Carrie had asked him twice on their last fishing trip if he ever planned to marry Eliza. God, he’d wanted to tell her the truth. If he knew Eliza wouldn’t reject him, that she wouldn’t run away when it got hard, he’d drag her to the preacher. But he couldn’t take that chance. Getting his hopes up a second time for her to back out again would destroy him.

He sat in the seat, easily picturing the future he'd never let himself consider. With Carrie, he had a family. Eliza might break his heart, but nothing could take Carrie away. Not after the lawyer finalized his rights.

Rod returned with the keys to the truck.

“Do you need me to go with you?” Rod handed Dewey the keys.

“Not unless you need to.”

“Have at it.”

Dewey climbed up, leaving Eliza to find every secret compartment in the SUV.

Both trucks were nice, but he decided to go with the one that also had a DVD player in the back.

“I hate it that we won't ride home together.” He ran a hand down her hair, waiting for Rod to bring the truck around after being detailed. Eliza had already set her purse in the SUV and her sunglasses in the special holder she'd discovered.

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